24 ALI BABA AND THE FORTY THIEVES.

return. She went in the utmost alarm
to Ali Baba, and said to him, ‘‘ Brother,
I believe you know that Cassim has gone
to the forest; he is not yet come back,
and as night is come, I fear some accident
may have befallen him.”

Ali Baba did not wait for entreaties
to go and séek for Cassim. He
immediately set off with his three asses,
and went to the forest. As he drew
near the rock he was astonished to see
that blood had been shed near the cave.
When he reached the door, he said,.
“Open Sesami!” and it opened. He
was struck with horror to find the body
of his brother cut into four quarters.
He decided to carry them home, and
making two packets of the four quarters,
he placed them on one of his asses,
covering them with sticks, to conceal
them. The other two asses he quickly
loaded with sacks of gold, putting wood
over them as before. “Then, commanding
the door to close, he took the road to the
city, waiting in the forest till nightfall,
that he might return without being
observed. When he got home, he
left the two asses that were laden
with gold, desiring his wife to take
care to unload them; and having told